AIRWAY HEALTH: INSPECTING ADA EXPECTATIONS

In 2017, the ADA House of Delegates approved a policy statement addressing The Role of Dentistry in the Treatment of Sleep Related Breathing Disorders 

"The passage of the sleep-related breathing disorders policy statement is the culmination of several years of work on this issue through the combined efforts of the Council on Dental Practice and the Council on Scientific Affairs," said Dr. Craig Ratner, chair of the ADA Council on Dental Practice, adding "…The end result is a comprehensive policy that can help dentists on the front lines help their patients with these potentially life-threatening disorders. Proper recognition and treatment can help prolong the health and lives of our patients."

The message is clear: Our current scope must no longer be limited to what has come to be known today as  “sleep dentistry.” Our priority – as detailed in the policy – is an airway-focused imperative. It includes, but is not limited to the following:

• In children, screening through history and clinical examination may identify signs and symptoms of deficient growth and development or other risk factors that may lead to airway issues. If risk is determined, (read more) intervention through medical or dental referral or treatment may be appropriate to help treat the disorder and/or develop an optimal physiologic airway and breathing pattern.

• When oral appliance therapy is prescribed by a physician through written or electronic order for an adult patient with obstructive sleep apnea, a dentist should be the one to fabricate an oral appliance.

• Dentists should obtain appropriate patient consent for treatment that reviews the proposed treatment plan, all available options and any potential side effects of using oral appliances.

• Dentists who provide oral appliance therapy to patients should monitor and adjust the appliance for treatment efficacy as needed, or at least annually.

• Surgical procedures may be considered as a secondary treatment for obstructive sleep apnea when CPAP or oral appliances are inadequate or not tolerated. In selected cases surgical intervention may be considered as a primary treatment.

• Dentists treating sleep-related breathing disorders should continually update their knowledge and training of dental sleep medicine with related continuing education.

It is our defined duty as dental professionals to promote and ensure optimal airway health, efficiency and function – nose to mouth to head and neck -- for all our patients.

In the wake of this new mandate for airway health – and in the express interest of keeping you informed, aware and up-to-date on the new directions, preparation and procedures for thriving in this exciting new climate, SML will be posting a multi-part series that discusses salient aspects of the mandate and what it portends for the future of dentistry. In the posts that follow, we will also air the contributions of outside experts  -- everything from clinical applications and historical considerations to practical treatment procedures and theories and priorities. See you next time.

Click this link for the complete text of The Role of Dentistry in the Treatment of Sleep Related Breathing Disorders

– or visit ADA.org/sleepapnea for more information. 

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